Fusible holding arm for door closers



Aug. 25, 1959 D. R. LASIER 2,901,064

FUSIBLE HOLDING ARM FOR DOOR CLOSERS Filed March 14, 1958 V I if h- United States atent Ofiice 2,901,064 Patented Aug. 25, 1959 230mm insets-110mm ARM FOR DOOR oLo'sERs David R. Easier, Princeton, 111., assign'or to LCN Closers, me, "Princeton, 'Ill., aworporation of Illinois Application March 1 4, 1958, Serial No. 721,563 3 clailns'. (CL 189 45) This invention relates, as "indicated, to an improved holthopen device for doors, and more particularly to a hold-opendevi'ce having an automatic release for rendering it ineffective in case of fire. 7

It is an object of this invention to provide a holding arm which is releasahle when exposed to heat from fir'es so that the door may be closed antomatically to cut off drafts and the 'communicationbetwe'en rooms in order'to prevent or'deterthe spreading of fires. H 7

It is a further object of this invention to provide a reliable hold-open-device which depends for its releasing action upon a fusible link of well-known construction which will fuse at-a predeterminedtemperature.

'It is yet another object of the invention to provide a releasable holding device having a mechanism for rapidly closirrgthe doors.

It is still anothei'bbj'ect of the invention to provide a releasable hold-open device of the type above described which is simple in construction and iseas'ily and inexpensively manufactured and .yet which is highly efficient, durable and dependahie in service.

It is yet aaetneree ect of the invention to provide a holding device for doors and the like which maybe used separately or in conjunction with a checking :andclosing mechanism. A F H K Further objects and advantages of this invention will become evident as the description proceeds and from an examination of the accompanying drawing which illuscrates several embodiments of the invention and in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a door hold-open device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the hold-open device here illustrated has a primary pivot which is used for the normal opening and closing of the door or other closure. The primary pivot is a stud indicated generally by reference numeral 10 having threaded extremities 11 and 12 and a non-circular integral central section 14 which may be in the form of a square outline. A soflit plate 16, adapted to be secured to a door frame, is provided with internal threads 17 for receiving the threads on extremity 11 of the stud 10.

A friction head 19 is mounted on the non-circular section 14 of the stud 10. The friction head has an upper rfriction face 20 for engaging the lower face of sofiit plate 16. A11 aperture 21 in the friction head is of a configuration conforming to the outline of the central section 14 of stud It so that the friction head and stud are non-rotatable with respect to each other and move as a single unit. As the forearm 22 rotates when the door is opened and closed, the stud 10 is screwed into and out of the threaded aperture 17 in the soffit plate. As the stud moves in and out of the so'flit plate, the friction "head 19 ismoved into and out of engagement with the lower-face of thesdfiit plate. 'When the face of the friction head is moved into binding engagement with the lower face of the soilit plate, the two members maintain the door in a hold-open position.

On the lower portion of the stud 10 is moiir 'ted a booster spring container 24having an aperture 25 core forming to the outline of the central section of the stud "10 so as to be non-rotatable with respect to the stud-and move as a unit therewith. s

A nut 28 is threaded on the lower extremity 12 o'f stud 10. It will be noted that the stud, faction head 19 and the booster spring container 14mm a rotatable assembly uni't'whieh is rotated'by arm 22, under normal conditions, as the door is opened assessed by the turning mov merits of the threaded end 11 of Stud 10 in soffit plate16.

Projecting upwardly from container 24 is a boss 26 with a cylindrical outer surface. A circular opening 30 in forearm 22 is journalle'd on boss 26, so that the forearm can rotate independently of and rela'tive'to the unitary assembly described hereinab'ove, under certain conditions.

In normal operations the forearm is prevented from independent movementsby a deformable resilient spring arm '32. (Due end of the spring arm is secu'redto friction head 19 by any suitable means, such as a rivet 33. The otherend of the spring arm extends along the upper side of the forearm and when released assumes a position spaced therefrom, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig- Ill-3 -21.

Underordinaryconditions the spring arm is releasably locked to the'iforearm; The end of the'spring arm has a socket-in the forr'n' of an opening3'4 for receiving 'astud 36 mounted on'the' forearm. The spring arm is deformed and held over the stud, 'so that the forearm is locked thereto. Since the spring arm is locked to the forearm, swinging movements of the door causes the forearm to move the rotatable assembly unit with the stud 10-as the door is opened and closed. l h

In order to maintain the spring arm 32 on the stud 36 a fusible link mechanism is provided. As shown in the drawing, this may include a lever 40 pivotally mounted on a pin 41 in mounting block 42 on the upper side of the forearm 22. The lever 40 has an arm 43 for engaging the end of the spring arm and a lower leg 44 which projects through an opening 45 in the forearm. In normal operation, the arm 43 of the lever engages the spring arm 32 to hold it over the stud 36 and is maintained in this position by a spring 48 and fusible link 49 connected in series to a post 47 depending from the lower side of the forearm.

A booster spring 51 is mounted in container 24. One end 52 of the spring is secured to forearm 22 and the other end of the spring is fastened to container 24. The spring is biased and preloaded to move the forearm 22 relative to the container 24 to aid in closing the door, when link 49 is fused and spring arm 32 released to permit free and independent movements of the forearm 22.

From the foregoing, operation of the device is believed to be apparent. The primary pivot between the soffit plate 16 and the forearm 22 is on the stud 10. The forearm, since it is held in engagement with the stud by the spring arm 32, turns the stud in and out of the sofiit plate as the door opens and closes. When the door is opened to degrees, as adjusted, the friction head face 20 binds the lower surface of the sotht plate 16 to maintain the door in an open position.

When the link 49 fuses, the lever 40 is released, permitting the spring arm 32 to be separated from the forearm to a position, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2. The removal of the spring arm from the forearm permits the forearm to swivel freely about a secondary pivot on the boss 25 of container 24. The secondary pivot allows the door to be easily and fully closed.

The booster spring 51 aids in moving the door to a closed position when the spring arm is released and the forearm moves independently of the stud. The booster spring 51 is preloaded and under tension, so that as soon as the forearm is permitted independent movement, it is quickly rotated to immediately start moving the door to closed position.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, the spring arm 62 is provided with a socket in the form of a recess to receive stud 66 on the forearm 22. In other respects the structure and operation is the same as the device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial Number 442,012, filed July 8, 1954.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in form and in proportion of parts, as well as substitution of equivalents, are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A door holder comprising a stationary plate member, a rotatable unit, a screw connection between said stationary plate member and said rotatable unit to move the same relatively toward and away from each other, a friction face on said stationary plate, a friction face on said rotatable unit opposed to said stationary plate friction face for frictional engagement and disengagement therewith as said rotatable unit is moved toward and away from said stationary plate, a cylindrical member on said rotatable unit, an arm member rotatably mounted on said cylindrical member, a deformable resilient spring arm rigidly connected to said rotatable unit biased to a position spaced from said arm member, releasable means including a fusible link for releasably locking said spring arm in a deformed position to said arm member, and a spring means between said arm member and said rotatable unit to move the arm member relative to said rotatable unit when the latter means is released.

2. A door holder comprising a stationary plate member, a rotatable unit, a screw connection between said stationary plate member and said rotatable unit to move the same relatively toward and away from each other, a friction face on said stationary plate, a friction face on said rotatable unit opposed to said stationary plate friction face for frictional engagement and disengagement therewith as said rotatable unit is moved toward and away from said stationary plate, a cylindrical member on said rotatable unit, an arm member rotatably mounted on said cylindrical member, locking means for releasably connecting said rotatable unit to said arm member, means including a fusible link for releasing said latter means, and a spring means between said arm member and said rotatable unit to move the arm member relative to said rotatable unit when said locking means is released.

3. A door holder comprising a stationary plate member, a rotatable unit, a screw connection between said stationary plate member and said rotatable unit to move the same relatively toward and away from each other, a friction face on said stationary plate, a friction face on said rotatable unit opposed to said stationary plate friction face for frictional engagement and disengagement therewith as said rotatable unit is moved toward and away from said stationary plate, a cylindrical member on said rotatable unit, an arm member rotatably mounted on said cylindrical member, locking means including a deformable resilient spring arm rigidly connected to said rotatable unit for releasably connecting said rotatable unit to said arm member, means including a fusible link for releasing said latter means, and a spring means between said arm member and said rotatable unit to move said arm member relative to said rotatable unit when said locking means is released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,358,977 Norton Nov. 16, 1920 1,837,126 Hurd Dec. 15, 1931 1,993,222 Moore Mar. 5, 1935 

